Genres that can't be adapted into video games

[Extrocomp]

Any story that works as a movie can also be adapted as a novel or a comic, or the other way around. It's not the same with video games because of the gameplay issue. Action movies can be adapted into beat-em-up games or shooters, mystery movies can be adapted into adventure games, space operas can be adapted into space combat games or strategy games, musicals can be adapted into singing games.

But some genres just don't work as any kind of game. In slasher movies, there's usually only one enemy so an action game wouldn't work. And a game where you control Jason Voorhees as he slaughters teenagers in the middle of having sex is sort of disturbing. In biblical movies, the main character is a pacifist who goes around spreading the Word of God before dying to save humanity from its sins. Way too linear for a video game. The romance genre has even less gameplay potential.

What other film/tv/novel/comic genres can't be adapted into video games?

 

[Aragorn]

Nintendo tried with Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street. And who can forget what kind of results they got with Jaws and Back to the Future.

Atari even attemped Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Halloween:

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWa9kTeLAGU[/yt]

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDK3TZWCWpY[/yt]

A Saw game just came out for the PS3 and 360.

 

[Extrocomp]

Video games made before 1990 don't count because they're just a mess of pixels and are hardly adaptations at all. In 1982 a game was released for Atari that is supposedly based on the movie Alien. It was a Pac-Man clone. No one would create anything like that in this age.

 

[nx1701g]

There really are no genres that can't be transformed in some manner or another. Hell Jaws was recently transformed into a game, Rob Zombie was trying to get a Halloween videogame made based upon his series of films.

 

[Kegg]

In slasher movies, there's usually only one enemy so an action game wouldn't work. And a game where you control Jason Voorhees as he slaughters teenagers in the middle of having sex is sort of disturbing.

Isn't 'disturbing' sort of the point of the slasher genre? I wouldn't know, I'm not a fan, but I thought it leaned in that direction.

I think the slasher formula would be pretty workable as a game - you either control a character who must survive until they call help or escape the area or kill the bad guy or whatever it is you do in that movie franchise, or the villain who has to make sure nobody survives or escapes. It's like a FPS deathmatch with one OP player against everyone else.

In biblical movies, the main character is a pacifist who goes around spreading the Word of God before dying to save humanity from its sins. Way too linear for a video game.

That'd depend on the movie. Look at Ben-Hur, that's a kickass video game right there. Naval battles? Chariot races?

But assuming we're adapting a movie where you do as your blurb says, well, that'd still work. You'd have to convert enough people before you get killed by the authorities. Non-combat RPG, though your conversions of differing people will probably give you certain advantages (convert someone rich and he funds you, so you can get better gear, accomodation, and speed up your message! Or convert someone as a disciple, who you can task to convert somewhere else while you're busy. Etc. etc.)

The romance genre has even less gameplay potential.

We've already got romances in RPGs and similar gameplay material. A pure romance RPG isn't that bad an idea - I like RPGs that reward intelligent character interaction and manipulation, which in a sense is what a romance RPG would be about.

In theory, I think it's difficult to identify a genre that really couldn't work as a videogame, and two of the ones suggested here - slashers and romances - strike me as natural gaming material.

 

[Theodore Jay Miller]

The romance genre has even less gameplay potential.

There are Japanese dating sims:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dating_sim

 

[jadcox@mindspring.com]

Anyone else remember the "My Dinner With André" game on "The Simpsons?"

 

[Davros]

You can even make a game about playing a game.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rw8gE3lnpLQ

 

[Sheep]

Do documentaries count? Although I suppose one could make a Supersize Me game where the objective is to consume as much junkfood as possible.

 

[Harvey]

I don't think there's any genre that couldn't be adapted into a video game, nor is there likely a genre that hasn't been adapted into a video game already. Now, there are some films that it would be just offensive to see in the form of a video game (Schindler's List -- The Game!), but that doesn't mean they couldn't be adapted into a game.

 

[clint g]

There is an entire romance genre in Japan, it just doesn't get much play in the US since its not expected to sell

 

[Rincewiend]

But some genres just don't work as any kind of game. In slasher movies, there's usually only one enemy so an action game wouldn't work. And a game where you control Jason Voorhees as he slaughters teenagers in the middle of having sex is sort of disturbing.

Never heard of Manhunt?!?

 

[firehawk12]

RomComs that are more than just dating sims or puzzle games. I suppose it's very difficult to find a metaphor that could work for recreating the conflict of emotional angst.

 

[Aragorn]

RomComs that are more than just dating sims or puzzle games. I suppose it's very difficult to find a metaphor that could work for recreating the conflict of emotional angst.

So no "Music & Lyrics" first-person shooter then?

 

[firehawk12]

Well, in that case you could make it a Sing Star game or something.